[SET]
Utility (Clefable) @ Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD or 252 HP / 188 Def / 68 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled
- Thunder Wave / Knock Off / Flamethrower
- Stealth Rock / Calm Mind
With a seemingly infinite utility movepool, great typing, and excellent ability allowing it to be unbothered by entry hazards and most status, Clefable cements itself as one of the best defensive options in the tier, able to check significant threats like Galarian Zapdos, Buzzwole, and Hydreigon. It also helps its teammates play around certain support options, such as Rotom-W, Ting Lu, and Hippowdon and uses these opportunities to set entry hazards or annoy the enemy team with its utility options. Thunder Wave allows Clefable to cripple faster threats like Iron Boulder and Enamorus while also dissuading many of Clefable's checks such as Mega Venusaur and Celesteela from switching in. Knock Off allows Clefable to leverage its numerous entry points to remove key items like Leftovers and Heavy-Duty Boots from checks like Excadrill and Iron Moth. Flamethrower is a niche option typically only found alongside Calm Mind that helps Clefable better threaten Excadrill while also chipping Celesteela. Stealth Rock is generally preferred, as Clefable tends to outlast most hazard control options, like Rotom-W and Excadrill, due to Magic Guard. Calm Mind similarly takes advantage of its ability to be unfazed by Toxic, turning it into a resilient sweeper that can punish teams reliant on special attackers like Amoonguss and Volcanion to check it. Rocky Helmet allows Clefable to punish threats such as Galarian Zapdos and Mienshao that would otherwise use U-turn and overrun most teams in conjunction with hazards. Leftovers is an alternative that greatly improves Clefable's longevity against the rest of the tier and is especially potent alongside Calm Mind to allow Clefable to overwhelm checks like Mega Venusaur or Aegislash. While maximum Defense investment is recommended to help Clefable withstand Galarian Zapdos's Brave Bird, an alternative spread with 68 Special Defense EVs can be used to ensure Clefable always survives an unboosted Iron Moth Sludge Wave, allowing Clefable to cripple it with Thunder Wave or Knock Off. This, however, is a niche option that may rarely come up and also compromises Clefable's ability to reliably check Galarian Zapdos. Because of Clefable's ability to handle many dangerous threats and stay healthy throughout the course of a game, it is found on every team style barring hyper offense. Teammates like Ting-Lu and Celesteela appreciate Clefable dealing with dangerous physical threats like Galarian Zapdos and Zeraora; in return, these partners can handle Iron Moth and Mega Venusaur for Clefable. Other defensive partners like Skarmory and Rotom-W can pair nicely with Clefable to better handle Galarian Zapdos while also providing support against Excadrill and Scizor. Clefable is an adept Stealth Rock setter, which is appreciated by offensive teammates such as Zeraora, Choice Band Iron Boulder, Galarian Zapdos, and Iron Moth. In return, these attackers can threaten options Clefable cannot handle, such as Greninja, Iron Moth, and Mega Venusaur while also racking up hazard damage onto the enemy team, allowing Clefable to outlast such checks. Clefable is also one of the best Knock Off absorbers in the tier, because it doesn't rely on its item to perform defensively, which allows it to support teammates weak to Knock Off like Skeledirge and Aegislash as well as Rotom-W and Celesteela, which simply dislike their Leftovers being removed.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/danbear02.589016/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pubo.535121/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gambit_gamin.652656/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sunny004.197240/
Utility (Clefable) @ Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD or 252 HP / 188 Def / 68 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled
- Thunder Wave / Knock Off / Flamethrower
- Stealth Rock / Calm Mind
With a seemingly infinite utility movepool, great typing, and excellent ability allowing it to be unbothered by entry hazards and most status, Clefable cements itself as one of the best defensive options in the tier, able to check significant threats like Galarian Zapdos, Buzzwole, and Hydreigon. It also helps its teammates play around certain support options, such as Rotom-W, Ting Lu, and Hippowdon and uses these opportunities to set entry hazards or annoy the enemy team with its utility options. Thunder Wave allows Clefable to cripple faster threats like Iron Boulder and Enamorus while also dissuading many of Clefable's checks such as Mega Venusaur and Celesteela from switching in. Knock Off allows Clefable to leverage its numerous entry points to remove key items like Leftovers and Heavy-Duty Boots from checks like Excadrill and Iron Moth. Flamethrower is a niche option typically only found alongside Calm Mind that helps Clefable better threaten Excadrill while also chipping Celesteela. Stealth Rock is generally preferred, as Clefable tends to outlast most hazard control options, like Rotom-W and Excadrill, due to Magic Guard. Calm Mind similarly takes advantage of its ability to be unfazed by Toxic, turning it into a resilient sweeper that can punish teams reliant on special attackers like Amoonguss and Volcanion to check it. Rocky Helmet allows Clefable to punish threats such as Galarian Zapdos and Mienshao that would otherwise use U-turn and overrun most teams in conjunction with hazards. Leftovers is an alternative that greatly improves Clefable's longevity against the rest of the tier and is especially potent alongside Calm Mind to allow Clefable to overwhelm checks like Mega Venusaur or Aegislash. While maximum Defense investment is recommended to help Clefable withstand Galarian Zapdos's Brave Bird, an alternative spread with 68 Special Defense EVs can be used to ensure Clefable always survives an unboosted Iron Moth Sludge Wave, allowing Clefable to cripple it with Thunder Wave or Knock Off. This, however, is a niche option that may rarely come up and also compromises Clefable's ability to reliably check Galarian Zapdos. Because of Clefable's ability to handle many dangerous threats and stay healthy throughout the course of a game, it is found on every team style barring hyper offense. Teammates like Ting-Lu and Celesteela appreciate Clefable dealing with dangerous physical threats like Galarian Zapdos and Zeraora; in return, these partners can handle Iron Moth and Mega Venusaur for Clefable. Other defensive partners like Skarmory and Rotom-W can pair nicely with Clefable to better handle Galarian Zapdos while also providing support against Excadrill and Scizor. Clefable is an adept Stealth Rock setter, which is appreciated by offensive teammates such as Zeraora, Choice Band Iron Boulder, Galarian Zapdos, and Iron Moth. In return, these attackers can threaten options Clefable cannot handle, such as Greninja, Iron Moth, and Mega Venusaur while also racking up hazard damage onto the enemy team, allowing Clefable to outlast such checks. Clefable is also one of the best Knock Off absorbers in the tier, because it doesn't rely on its item to perform defensively, which allows it to support teammates weak to Knock Off like Skeledirge and Aegislash as well as Rotom-W and Celesteela, which simply dislike their Leftovers being removed.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/danbear02.589016/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pubo.535121/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gambit_gamin.652656/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sunny004.197240/
Last edited:
